The Big Collusion Narrative Keeps Melting Down

After two days and almost six hours of high-stakes public testimony, I’m struck by the total lack of any compelling claims supporting the “big” collusion narrative, that Russia conspired with Trump or Trump officials to “hack” election.

While we certainly aren’t privy to all the relevant information or all the relevant testimony, nothing that James Comey said last week or that Jeff Sessions said this week (much less any of the questions directed his way) contained so much as a meaningful hint that the Committee was on the verge of uncovering the political scandal of the century.

Rather, the focus keeps shifting to much narrower questions regarding Trump’s decision to fire James Comey - questions that are important but far less historically consequential than any claim that a president or his attorney general are traitors to their country.

Here’s where we stand:

1. Not only is there no evidence that Trump personally colluded with Russians or ordered anyone to collude with Russians, there’s now evidence that he hasn’t been under personal investigation by the FBI.

2. There is absolutely zero available evidence that Jeff Sessions colluded with the Russians.

3. Similarly, there is so far no evidence that even Trump’s more unsavory aides – men like Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn — colluded to influence the election

4. To the extent that there is evidence of wrongdoing connected with a foreign power, it deals not with the election itself but rather with Flynn’s alleged failures to disclose foreign payments and contacts.

Millions of American believe the worst about their current president, claims every bit as toxic in their own way as “truther” smears against George Bush or “birther” smears against Barack Obama.

The Trump collusion narrative has gotten a far wider and more respectable hearing than either of the two conspiracy theories that plagued the Bush and Obama administrations.

Truth is truth, and it’s important for responsible people to not just understand and respond to actual evidence - no matter where it leads - but also acknowledge its absence. And so far the absence of evidence points to Trump’s innocence of some of the worst allegations ever leveled against an American president or his senior team.

Comments

"Similarly, there is so far no evidence that even Trump’s more unsavory aides – men like Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn — colluded to influence the election"In the past here, I've said that Trump was right to fire Flynn. I still think that was a good call given the bullshit Russia collusion allegations, but I totally take exception with saying that Flynn was "unsavory." Flynn happened to have business dealings with Russia and the Deep State happened to gain traction with saying that there was something wrong with that. Flynn was necessary collateral damage for Trump to take some heat off, but I've seen no evidence that Flynn is unsavory.

Are you suggesting that Trump's companies don't have business dealings with Russia? If you are, you are truly clueless.That's why his tax returns are not out. The Trump brand has major funding from Russian investors.

I would be shocked if some aspect of Trump's businesses did not have dealings with Russian businesses. He had an international enterprise. What is shocking is that anyone with an IQ over 60 gives a fuck.

It's not doing the democrats much good. They're going more and more to the fringe. Even with their rantings, Tump's approval is at 50% and stands higher than Ozeros. It's also higher than Bill Clinton's was at this time of his presidency.Democrats - and the leftojihadis who like to post here - are a laughing stock.

Eric Bolling on FBN's Cashin' In this morning stated that Mueller had hired 15 new lawyers, now making his team rounded to TWNETY LEGEL EAGLES to investigate President Trump. Why? Collusion in this case means Trump struck a deal a Russian official and that official had the standing to effect the outcome of our election. Unless there's a smoking gun or an eye witness suggesting a deal was struck by Trump they have to find him not guily of Collusion. Mueller is looking for evidence that Trump intended to stop the FBI investigation for his own benefit. So when Comey, under oath admitted Trump said "I hope you move on" would in no way constitute OBSTRUCTION.At BILLABLE HOURS, anyone that says "oh, just let them investigate", and the investigation takes 1 year (Let's be optimistic for a moment) means spending over $100 million dollars for nothing and that's what Democrats are good at. I concur.

And the Clinton Foundation had major donors from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies, which no doubt "influenced" her policies of being pro-Gulf monarchies and anti-Assad and Iran. Come on man, this is elementary stuff. You're falling right into the propaganda trap of only focusing on Trump's specifics while ignoring similar incidents with Democrats.

Link to proof of anything you claim?You fucking moron. You may b-e-l-i-e-v-e that's why his tax returns are not out and you may b-e-l-i-e-v-e the Trump brand has major funding from Russian investors, but until you can provide a hard link with incontrovertible proof of your claims, they are nothing more than vaginal farts from another libtard cunt.Sorry, just the facts, ma'am.

He's not going to give you any proof or any reputable link to anything because its all based on innuendo and hearsay.But here is something that has gone unremarked on in the Fake Nuuuz for obvious reasons because its damaging to the very "august, honorable and reputable committee" of this modern day Inquisition...Jeff Sessions testimony on leaks from CLOSED DOOR SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS at 4:15...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdLx8YbkHcw...thats right, someone on that committee (or in attendance) is leaking to the Fake Nuuuz classified information and Sessions just called them on it at 4:15.

Bernie Sanders has not released his tax returns either. In fact, he has released LESS than Trump.Further, the ethics office released a 95 page accounting of all Trump's investments and liabilities. NOT ONE RUSSIAN. NOT ONE.https://m.box.com/shared_item/https%3A%2F%2Foge.box.com%2Fs%2Fkz4qvbdsb… hasn't produced ANYTHING this detailed. No dimmocrite has. Putz.

Well, your alternative, the Hillary brand, had funding from a ton of countries with ties to radical Islamic terrorism. There is a long list of contributors to the Clinton Foundation with ties to those countries. And the entire Swamp with few exceptions, if closely examined, would have lots of foreign business ties and contacts.

Tyler said it right; this is like a conspiracy theory. One senator made that point during the Sessions' testimony, likening it to a spy thriller movie. The MSM wants to make money by casting all of the Trump associates in this way and exaggerating their behavior, in that the WHOLE SWAMP thrives on globalist contacts that enable them to ALL get rich.....somehow. Most of them are not businesspeople.

All I have heard over the last two decades is a bunch of hyping of the global economy that has hurt many Americans, but now, it is so shocking for this one president to be involved in the global economy???

I have not read all of the details on Flynn, but if there is anything major, all of that would apply to Obama, too. Flynn was trusted by the former POTUS as well.

Would two presidents really trust him if his dealings with foreign countries were soooo different than what other Swampians do? It seems unlikely. They are just trying to act like everything that is normal in the Swamp is suddenly unacceptable when Trump is involved.

They need to change the Swamp Rules and stop applying the current rules differently to Trump and everyone associated with him. That is not fair.

General Flynn first got his security clearance from Obama. He disagreed with the way Obama, Brennan, Clapper et al were minimizing the muslim terrorists and became persona non grata within the administration. There are many deep staters who still want to keep purged any reference to Islam, Islamic terror or Islamic extremism from the FBI and CIA training manuals and reports.Flynn wrote a book called "Field of Fight" where he said you have to identify your enemy. Of the war with ISIS he wrote " our government has concealed the actions of terrorists like Osama bin Laden and groups like ISIS and al Qaeda, and the role of Iran in the rise of radical Islam, we don’t fully understand the enormity of the threat they pose against us."You can see why the left over Ozerobots in the deep state had their knives out for him.

You're a complete moron . . . Trump's recently released financial statement listed hundreds of businesses he was involved in and NOT ONE has any ties to Russia whatsoever. Go back to CNN or MSNBC where you belong, o.k.? Your bullshit is not tolerated on this site . . .

I Agree.Let's also agree on what the "the bullshit Russia collusion allegations" really are.1. They are an offensive smear campaign by the Democratic party (to evade justice for their crimes over the past eight years); 2. They are a Republican power structure's backroom scheme to control Trump at all costs to maintain their relevance, and3. They are the Pentagon's / Deep State's psyop program to continue to control the adminstrative branch of the U.S Government (as they have for decades). Without the "Russian" threat or "terror" threat, NATO and the Deep state has no power, and no purpose.The true "threat" to the American people, the Russian people and the rest of the world are those three entities.Let's also agree that the American government is hopelessly corrupt.

Appointing a Special Counsel to harass President Donald Trump was the objective for the Deep State from Day One. The plan was then to use that first inquiry to pursue endless investigations, with more subpoenas, media leaks, fake news, etc. That will tie up President Trump for the next eight years so he has no time to pursue his agenda, which is fine with the complicit Republicans, who preferred Hillary anyway. We need a new political party quickly so we can be on the ballot in all 50 states by 2018. I helped put the Conservative Party on the ballot in NY State in 1962 so I know the process, and I'm willing to do a great deal of the work for this project myself, but I will need the support of other zh readers to be successful. Watch for further news over the next few weeks.

It is obvious the Rs - esp in the senate - are useless.Both parties are shells of what they were. If there were viable candidates they may have a shot, esp. as it looks like trump will be thwarted as he did not clear decks fast enough

Podesta got $37 million from Russia and sat on several Russian high tech company boards. His brother was a registered Russian agent DURING THE CAMPAIGN.Flynn got what $50 K from Russia for a speech? Bill Clinton got $500K (multiples of his regular fee) for a Russian speech as soon as Hillary became Secretary of State.After that Hillary and the Clinton Foundation got several hundred million from Putin for 20% of US uranium reserves and for selling high tech secrets to Russia under the guise of helping set up a "Russian Silicon Valley". Right after the tech transfer our soldiers noted how accurate the Russian supplied missles showering down on them became in Iraq and Afghanistan.

After that Hillary and the Clinton Foundation got several hundred million from Putin for 20% of US uranium reserves and for selling high tech secrets to Russia under the guise of helping set up a "Russian Silicon Valley". Yes indeed SS . . . and isn't it funny how not ONE left leaning MSM outlet even mentions those FACTS. Clinton should be executed for treason for that bullshit.

His NSA director was a paid russian consultant . . . That is patently not true you fucking moron - where'd you hear that? CNN?Flynn was paid for giving a speech during RT's 10th anniversary event (as were all the others that flew into Moscow and spoke at the event). That is a far cry from being a "paid Russian consultant".

True dat. Russian collusion was Podesta (recipient of $37 million from Russia) and Mook assembling an excuse why their lousy candidate Hillary (recipient of several hundred million rubles from Putin) and their own lousy campaign management lost a sure thing. Good to hear it from a NeverTrumper. Can the leftojihadi brigade be far behind?

Congress released its 150 page report on Fast & Furious last week finding that Obama and Holder did run guns to Mexican drug dealers and tried to hide it.Will Sessions do anything about it? 5 FBI offices and multiple US Attorneys were looking into the Clinton Foundation but Comey put a lid on it. Will Sessions do anything about it?Stay tuned. Sessions is only a few months in.

Ethics department released Trump's 95 page financial disclosure report. Over 500 businesses he divested himself of before inauguration. Guess what? NOT ONE RUSSIAN PROJECT/COMPANY/INVESTMENT!https://m.box.com/shared_item/https%3A%2F%2Foge.box.com%2Fs%2Fkz4qvbdsb… for the record - there's nothing illegal about doing business with Russia. Just ask Hillary, Bill and the Podestas.

. . . or the “birther” smears against Barack Obama . . . Smears?? WTF do you call a FORGED birth certificate?? That issue was NEVER properly resolved and to bring it up was/is NOT a "smear". In fact, very little real facts about Obama's life prior to him being in Illinois has been allowed into the public domain - that simply should not happen with someone standing for the presidency in the USA.

That's because he was a CIA plant, groomed to destroy this country and pave the way for One World Government.....look how good a job he did filling the government with countless like-minded people......Trump can't remove them with crowbars...

And the certificate he put forth IS a forgery. Is there another?But what of it ...as nothing is done regarding this. Sheriff Joe did 5 years' of investigation and it sits.Obama if a fraud would be a constitutional tailspin as everything he did would be null and void, no? He was not legit therefore his orders, etc were not legit.....

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